The Room
by LoveIsLikePi
Summary: There is a room neither of them ever wanted to enter, a room shrouded in dark allure neither of them ever felt the desire to explore. Yet, perhaps in this chance training both cousins were unwilling participants in, they will blossom together?
1. Chapter 1

So this idea has been bouncing around among the many in my head for a while. I'm planning for it to be a three or four shot, perhaps more. I am trying to be more detailed and slower with my writing, as I find I rush too quickly. (I also just stayed up all night to write this and the birds are beginning to chirp as I type). Please read and review! Tell me what you like and don't like! Really!

* * *

Neji had never known such disgust.

As he headed toward his dreaded destination, his anger grew with each pebble he trod over. In general, he had great respect for Tsunade-sama as a leader, a woman, and a medical ninja. But at this point, he willed anyone but the currently loathsome blonde to hold the title of Hokage.

He stopped in the middle of the path, though it did not matter. As far as could be seen before or behind him, not another human could be sensed. In a rare moment of unconcealed anger he lashed out at the sky, his chakra flaring angrily at the peaceful late afternoon clouds drifting lazily above him. After a loud growl of frustration he continued on, knowing he had no choice.

These coming weeks were probably going to be the most embarrassing of his life. He let out another particularly loud and hateful curse as the putrid building came into view.

In the southwestern edge of Konoha, unbeknownst to villagers and Neji himself until this past morning, was a special training ground nestled in a small thicket of trees. The building itself was quite picturesque. It was white wash and even had a quaint little porch. No hint of the goings on within marred the outward appearance of the place. As more and more of it came into view over the hill, the genius felt the urge to vomit growing steadily in his stomach. The idea that he was to be subjected to such activities nearly made his afternoon tea lurch from its resting place in his stomach.

He took a moment to calm himself before drawing any nearer to the establishment, colored white for innocence when it was, in truth, the exact opposite. He had heard the announcement, of course, all the ninja beyond Genin level had. But that such a program would affect him, he had never guessed.

It was an important program, he knew, and the training here would prove vital in many missions. Still, his innards cringed at being a part of such teachings.

_"We need volunteers"_ the Hokage's words rang in his head. _"And you have been volunteered"_ was her final statement on the matter.

"_But Hokage-sama"_ he had replied in a rare show of disobedience. Always before he had taken orders without question. _"Are there not many other males that would be much more suited for this than me? There are many who would jump at the chance"_ he had pleaded. But his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

"_That is precisely why you have been volunteered. You will not be eager. You will be a challenge. Training with you will ensure a higher success rate because you are not an easy target"_ she had replied with full confidence.

"_You aren't the only one, Neji. Others have been chosen as well, though I will not name them. This is completely confidential. None of your colleagues will find out. It will be carried out in total darkness and special precautions will be made so that your identity is protected and the other person's as well. You will be spared of all other action for the couple months while you aid in this training. Your first appointment is at 6 this evening. You are dismissed."_

Damn, he had never thought he would be in a situation like this. He loathed it with is full being, in every sense of the word. A small string of curses spewed forth as he mentally geared up to walk inside.

His skills were rapidly becoming legend. Even among the Hyuuga he was notable as a prodigy of greatness.

The sharpness of his eyes only grew day by day and could hone in on many secret things hidden away.

The preciseness of his strike was unmatched and he had immobilized many enemies with the hands that were clenched at his sides.

His tracking was unparalleled in any terrain, except perhaps by ninkens, but in sight he was the sole king. Nothing could hide from his eyes.

His finesse in performing the deadly dance his blood had skilled him with was bewitching and few that had witnessed his movements survived.

Even his looks, he knew, were enticing to look upon or so he gathered from many quiet whisperings when people were sure he paid them no mind. But he had never given them a second thought, he sought for no companion in this life save his own slightly inflated ego; he needed none.

This one area remained beyond his area of expertise and he longed for it to stay that way.

* * *

He finally regained his uncaring exterior in order to walk up to the doors. Once inside, there was a lone receptionist.

He was aghast at first, wondering at the Hokage's promise of confidentiality.

"Please sign your name here" she said almost robotically and handed him a blank sheet of paper. He scribbled it down.

She then stood and led him deep into the bowels of the building. There was more to this building than the simple outside had revealed.

Suddenly, about sixty feet within and after many twists and turns, she opened a door. There was a small room, barely roomy enough to fit both of them comfortably.

"The precautions Hokage-sama spoke of will now be taken" she stated plainly. Two of her fingers touched his neck and he jerked, unused to physical contact. But she said nothing as a strange colored chakra, close to that of golden brown, flowed into his neck.

"Your voice is now altered and unrecognizable to anyone who hears it. This will be undone when you leave"

She handed him some folded clothing.

"You will wear this during the beginning of today's session. When you are finished changing, press this small button by the door. You will enter a dark room. Remember, do not attack the person you come into contact with. When it's time for the session's end, the door to this room will open again and you are to enter, change back into your clothes and exit. I will be there to escort you back out."

"I remember the way" he replied unemotionally. She merely smiled at him and exited, leaving him alone in his plight.

He wanted to escape. He would willingly complete a million hours of intense training with Hiashi-sama if it would get him out of this. Hell, he would be Hanabi's tea party partner for the rest of his life if it would get him out of this

The genius wouldn't admit it but the small hole within his mind had been gnawed by nervousness, a sensation he usually squelched with unyielding persecution or drowned with cold, distant and dry rationality.

He put on the garments and found them to be comfortable. He did not know what awaited him, having never found the time or the desire to be seduced before. He willed himself to calm down, lowering his defenses as low as he dared before pressing the small button that would lead to his undoing.

No, none of his fellow ninjas would know, could ever. He scoffed inwardly. Naruto and Kiba would be jumping all over this chance. He now felt as if they, in their willingness to give into the basic desires of their race, were superior in some way he had not foreseen... or ever considered for that matter.

He steeled himself to be emotionless, masked during the act as his index finger pressed the small button. Part of the wall seemed to become non existent. Before him was darkness and he entered as quickly as he dared.

As quickly as it had disappeared the door solidified behind him, leaving him at the mercy of total darkness. At first, he thought he was alone. Then his senses told him there was undeniably another presence with him in this room.

"Why so tense?" an extremely feminine voice questioned from behind him. He nearly jumped into the air. He did not respond, except with his usual "Hn" and folded his arms across his chest.

"No need to be cruel, handsome. I'll help you relax" the voice assured, and somehow he knew her touch was coming. As his arms were pulled from his chest, he found the touch soft, warm and almost comforting. He willed himself to be far removed from this situation.

"Here, sit for me" she, whoever she was, cooed. He complied and hands came from behind him again. They gripped his shoulders and he was forced backward. Not a more confident pair of hands had he ever encountered in all his days. They stroked down his back with such assurance and precise pressure that his muscles nearly groaned from relief. And his mind was intrigued.

Her sure hands quickly and swiftly divested him of his shirt, freeing them to rove his bare back and knead all the right places. He found himself lulled for a moment. Then, instead of the chair he assumed had been at his back, a very feminine figure pressed fully along him from behind. Neji involuntarily wretched himself forward. But the mistress of the web he was now caught in wasn't having that. She pulled him back and he felt her breasts, pert nipples and all, rub against shoulder blades. Her mouth descended on the back of his neck. He remained removed from the situation.

If she was frustrated with his lack of reaction, she gave no hint. Instead, he felt expert hands reach around and begin caressing his hips and lower belly. His hands clenched on the ground. It's true that he distanced himself from physical pleasure but he was still male, which he was rapidly being reminded of.

Her rubbing found its way to just above his erect member and it grew more erotic as each second passed. He became aware that he was panting softly, yet he knew she had heard him. He blushed in the darkness, glad for its ability to hide his shame. His lower half was beginning to take him over when suddenly, she left just as silently as she came.

He sit still for nearly a full minute, furious that his maleness had betrayed him and even more furious at himself for wanting more. The light from the other room did not appear yet, so the session could not have ended. He was just rising when a hand pushed him back onto the chair. He recognized the pair of hands that reached out and took his hands confidently, pulling herself to him. Before he knew exactly what to expect, a weight settled in his lap. She then lifted, or so he felt, onto her knees so that she was above him in the darkness. She was still for a few seconds before settling the spot between her legs on the hardness she sought and grinding against him. He willed himself to remain detached from this physical interaction and bit back his cry of pleasure.

He had always avoided seduction missions before and now he didn't know what to do. He was awash with inexperience, a very unfamiliar feeling. But his mind blanked as she gently slid his remaining garments down and they pooled around his feet. She tortured him for what seemed endless hours, yet ticking by at a minute's pace.

He reached out for her, to force her to spread her legs and let him release his hardness in her. He didn't know how he knew that, old as the dawn of humanity, would end his need but his basic instincts cried out for it. His lower half urged him forward.

He received his hands pinned to the arms of the chair. "No touching" a quiet, teasing command sounded in his ear, though later Neji would recall that it seemed faraway, as if she was ordering him from a distant realm. Her tongue invaded his mouth with a confident fervor. He had never known a woman this confident and, for some reason, he felt the urge to struggle against her all the more.

But he cried out when he felt a soft warmth surround his erection. She gave no sound but lifted off him again, this time landing gracefully on the ground in front of him.

Just what was she planning to-

She gripped his knees and held them apart as her head dipped between his legs. He let out a very shocked moan of pleasure as she took his full length into her mouth without hesitation. But that was only the beginning of her ministrations...and his shock.

* * *

The Hyuuga prodigy stumbled back into the small outer room with shaky knees. He had never moaned or screamed so loud in his life and was thoroughly embarrassed. Some prodigy ninja he was. He had crumbled in a matter of minutes. Slowly he redressed in the outfit he had entered the building in only minutes before...or was it hours? He wouldn't know or care until he got outside.

His head was still spinning when the door on the other side opened. He had to get out of here. Get out before he rushed back into the room and begged for more. He ran full speed in the direction he was sure the receptionist had lead him down.

He didn't admit that he was lost until nearly half an hour later.

Suddenly, the same receptionist appeared out of the wall on his right. "This way. The way back is never going to be the same way you came while you are within this building. You may as well know that as you will be a regular for some time" she stated, motioning for him to follow her.

He did so and before five minutes had passed they were back at the front waiting room, if you could call such a room in such a place that. He nodded and bolted out the door, inhaling the fresh night air as it encased him, welcomed him back as if an old friend. Yet the genius knew as he strode away, attempting to be the same exact ninja that had strode into the building, that he would never be the same.

* * *

While in the room, about 2 hours had passed and a stars were filling the early June night around him. He was thankful that he met no one on his way back to the Hyuuga compound. He went through Jyuuken quickly and fiercly, attempting to forget his new experience in his exhaustion. He ran into no one until his return to the Main House, where his uncle had housed him since that fateful day of the Chuunin exams.

He ran right into Hinata, who had been unable to dodge him with her usual finesse. He helped her up robotically. Somehow, she seemed to be different to him, even though it was Hinata. Females in general seemed to be new to him, as if a veil had been snatched off his eyes.

"Is something the matter, Neji-niisan?" she asked worriedly, her ever-timid gaze searching out his.

"N-not at all, Hinata-sama" he heard his own voice respond. They stared at each other for almost two minutes, though neither could fathom why.

"I was just returning from a m-mission" his cousin stated, reverting to her old stutter that had been absent in her earlier question. For some reason, Neji felt something deep inside him relax upon hearing the old habit of hers, a reflection of the insecure soul within.

"I am as well. Have a good night, Hinata-sama" he replied curtly and turned down the hall to his bedroom.

She stared after him a little while, wondering at his distance. He acted as if he was flustered, though she couldn't imagine why. Life, threat, injury,whatever befell her cousin it rarely flustered him.

Once in his room, Neji stared at himself a good long while in the mirror. Ridiculously, he felt as if some outward sign should be pasted on his face, some signal of what had taken place in a blinking traffic light above his head for all to see. But there was only him. The same long dark locks framed his face. The same eyes looked back at him from the mirror. He splashed ice cold water on his face and settled into his pajamas. Somehow his bed seemed different to him, a place in his mind now for things other than sleeping. He had never considered such a thing before. Now, as he settled back beneath the feather-light sheet, fingers seemed to skim his skin. He shoved the thoughts away from his mind. This struggle continued until well after midnight when sleep finally caught him, though the new found lust tempted him even in his dreams.

In another room in the very same house, a certain Hyuuga heiress was blushing beside herself. She had had her first test run tonight outside the classroom, in arts she would have rather never found out about. But the person she had been paired with had been a fairly easy conquest, for which she was grateful.

At first, she had been very squeamish about this unavoidable task set before her, a task many of her fellow kunoichi reveled in. But tonight hadn't been so bad and if it would help Konoha and help protect the lives of other Konoha ninja, then she was up for anything. And she found a different persona awakened in her when she was veiled in that dark room, protected by a different voice and enveloped and hidden in the comfort of the dark. She hadn't even stuttered once!

Tsunade herself had praised her performance, as well as her meticulous notes. Hinata fell into a blissful sleep, her naivety of her effect on the opposite sex still intact.

Outside, the stars gleamed and the moon shone over the Hyuuga mansion, which held within its bounds two cousins with very different dreams.

* * *

Sooo there you have it! A bit different turn of events from the usual plot for this pairing! If any part of it is confusing, PM me with questions. I really am trying to go slower and explain things and be a bit more suspenseful and draw out the pleasure of writing things instead of just trying to rush through. As always, constructive criticism and telling me what you loved is always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

Neji Hyuuga is a man of few words. Even in his own head there are long lapses of silence where his sharp mind wanders to and fro, not thinking about anything in particular and not particularly caring to think about anything. Meditation has long been one of his favorite hobbies, though peace pervades his very presence these days rather than hateful thoughts towards the Main Branch of his own family. Yes, the once angry and angsty teen had traded his hate and disdain for an unparalleled loyalty. Especially, some argued, for the heiress of the Hyuuga clan who grew more lovely with each passing year. Though her missions grew tougher and the assignments more grotesque, her quiet, soft and yielding nature had never been blemished by the ninja world. At least to outside eyes.

But Neji, being privy to the Hinata most did not ever witness, knew a different story. It's true that Hinata's kindness had not been harmed nor had her grace or beauty. Now 20, she was in the prime of her loveliness, turning every head in the village even on her worst days. But he had been present in the manor that day, just a few days shy of his 20th birthday, when the heiress had stumbled into the family dinner. She and she alone had returned from that mission, so deep in shock that she didn't realize she had returned to the mansion instead of straight to the hospital as training dictated. It took a lot of trauma to make a ninja, especially a Jounin, forget their training.

Thankfully, few members beyond Hiashi-sama and himself had been present. Neji had been ordered to take her straight to Tsunade-sama. The normally non-violent and quiet Hinata had actually screamed and cussed at him as he tried to take her away from the dining room. When he reached for her arm, she had turned her gentle fist on him. He still remembered the look in her eyes all these months later. It had been haunting. Far gone was the sweet Hinata he had known all his life and in her place was a cold, distant woman. She had never seemed more Hyuuga than that night, with no disregard if she took his life or not.

He finally managed to pin her, and she spat "Go ahead and kill me, you rotten-"

Despite his inner terror at seeing his little cousin in such a state and his fear for her, not knowing what could have caused this shock, he had calmly replied:

"I will not, Hinata-sama, for you have saved my life before"

The change was instant. "N-n-neji-nisan?" she had whimpered before crumpling into his arms. And she had cried and cried and cried as he carried her to the Hokage tower. But it hadn't been a loud wail or mournful cry. He could've handled that better.

No, her quiet sobs that bespoke sadness and fear beyond what any sound could communicate had shaken him to his core as he carried her. He was trembling himself as they stumbled into Tsunade's window.

"You reached her in her shock?"

Neji had nodded more meekly than usual. Something terrible had to be amiss for Hinata to be this badly out of sorts.

By then, Hinata had reverted back to her quiet shock, a different quiet from her normal serene silence. This quiet scared her cousin. He followed Tsunade from the hospital room where the older woman had put her in a deep state of sleep. Hiashi-sama, along with Hanabi and two elders from the council, met them outside Hinata's room.

All Neji knew was that Kurenai, Shino, and Hinata had departed a week prior for some top-secret assignment. It was only supposed to take four days and he had felt an oppressive air as the seventh day had passed without word. His cousin had interrupted dinner that same night.

"Kurenai is in critical condition but I will be honest...it doesn't look good" the Hokage had stated quietly once they were outside the door.

"And Shino...Shino isn't coming back. The village's loss tonight has been great. Not only an heir to a clan but we also lost eight Chuunin, five Jounin and a special Jounin. If Kurenai dies, make that two special Jounin."

Neji, now a special Jounin himself, cringed. To take down that many...what the hell had taken place?

"I won't say Hinata is lucky to be alive because luck has nothing to do with it. She's one of our best combat specialists and if she weren't she wouldn't be here right now. The tallies aren't fully in yet but as of right now she managed to take out at least thirty. Her chakra is exhausted; I am shocked she made it back here alive. They pursued her like starved dogs after a hambone, nearly until the front gate. She'll be okay but I will not allow her to be released earlier than a week. I have a suspicion it will be more than that, though. I will give more details later, as soon as I have the last report from ANBU. But for now, I have to tend to Kurenai. I will be in surgery with her for at least the next eight hours" and with that the blonde had departed.

That night, Neji had gotten little sleep. Losing his cousin had never felt quite so_...close_ before. And he didn't know how he felt about it.

Neji Hyuuga was also a genius, but not when it came to feelings. With those, he was just as clueless as a teenage boy about to go on his first date. He didn't recognize it that night but it was a form of fear gnawing at him, a fear of losing the person you love most.

For years, he had known he loved his cousin. Her small smiles always made his muscles a little less tense and put his mind at ease; she had taught him as much about gentleness as he had taught her about strength.

"They complemented each other" was a sentence he had heard more than once, in many different ways from people who were very different. Hiashi-sama had mentioned that their level of success during their paired moves, which they had improved on greatly since the war, had as much to do with practice as being connected to one another and balancing one another's energy. Gai had compared them to the wisdom of age (that's you, my youthful pupil, he had indicated Neji) and the carefree spirit of youth (that's you, my dear heiress he had assured, indicating Hinata). No matter what age you are, you need a balance of both in the shinobi world or you'll go mad."

Over these last years, Hinata had shown him that. She could be decisive, calculating and precise. She had saved him twice in the same mission because of wisdom she had gained in training closely with Sakura and Temari (who was strangely in Konoha quite often these days). They had sharpened her skill and mind in ways Neji, though they trained almost daily, had never been able to. He had also witnessed her kill three ninja on that same mission without breaking a sweat.

But as they walked along the paths throughout the Hyuuga grounds and Konoha, a manner in which they sometimes passed hours in silence, she still was given to chasing butterflies and climbing the wall of Konoha's western side to watch the sun fade and its rays dance, changing the full expanse of the sky. She was somehow still free and childlike in her enjoyment of life.

He had taken her on one of these walks as soon as he could after that fateful mission. He would never admit it to himself but he was worried sick about her. She moved back to the manor after a week but still wasn't allowed to train for another week. Neji had returned from a mission three days after her return to residence and he had heard the servants' murmurs.

_"The heiress isn't herself"_

_"She just stares blankly ahead as if nothing crosses her awareness anymore"_

He had thought they were exaggerating, as most of the servants in care of the manor were prone to do. Or so he hoped. As that week passed, though he wouldn't acknowledge it, his heart was breaking for her. She hadn't stuttered at all but the life had gone out of her voice. He would have cut off his own arm in that week just to hear her old stutter.

That weekend he had stopped by her room and she smiled when she saw him (something the servants had assured him later hadn't happened at all since she came home). It had been a genuine smile but not Hinata's sunny smile.

He had invited her on a walk, or, at least he assumed he had. To this day, he didn't remember exactly how he had ended up in the Main House that evening let alone at her room. He also didn't remember what he had said exactly, just that nervousness had struck him out of the blue and his words had been much more rushed than usual (at least in his mind). He had intended to just ask how she was or if she needed anything but somehow "Will you go on a walk with me?" had tumbled out instead. She had perked up considerably.

"A walk sounds lovely, Neji, especially since I didn't get you anything for your 20th, did I?"

"That's quite all right, Hinata-sama. This will be better than anything you could buy me" he had stated before his thinking was quite back to normal. He had also wondered where his affectionate honorific had gone.

But she had gone with him. Unbeknownst to him, Hiashi had watched them with a raised eyebrow.

"Now Hiashi-sama, don't go looking like that" one of their servants, that had known the Head since he was a small boy, said. "Neji won't do anything to harm that girl and you know it, especially after what's just happened and all." The old man was nearing 80 and Hiashi truly did trust him as much as any of his family, perhaps more.

"I know"

"I saw you raise your eyebrow, Hiashi-sama. You've only ever done that if you're suspicious or if you're working on a puzzle-oh I see. Do you think there's a bit of cross branch chemistry between your young lovely and that strapping Neji brute?" he said, winking slightly.

Hiashi hadn't been able to keep his lip from twitching in the slightest.

"Oh gollies, if that's to happen, it's just what this household needs. An uproar. Them old geezers could use some shakin' up" he had said, laughing. Hiashi laughed softly too, knowing the servant before him had at least 10 years on most of the council members.

"That would be quite the shake up but perhaps I am just reading things that aren't there"

"Oh, it's certainly easy enough to do that, sir" the old servant had agreed sternly. There hadn't been any more conversation until the old man couldn't help but throwing behind him as he was dismissed

"But then again, I've watched you and your brother, may he rest in peace, and your daughters and nephew grow up. I've watched many Hyuuga babies grow up and I know them all better than most of their parents. I know when Hyuugas fall in love, something no one knows, not even the great Hyuugas themselves can ever tell"

Hiashi still hadn't quite figured out what he meant.

Neji hadn't known of this conversation of course. He and Hinata were strolling along one of her favorite paths, a sight that had been nearly weekly during their mid-teen years. The easy silence that always encased their walks (a personal comfort to Neji) fell over them in the soft, pre-night air when all the world was preparing for the hush of the night. But Neji sensed it wasn't quite the same silence as usual. Instead of her vibrant admiration for all the life blooming and buzzing and running near the path, there was a cool distance. She was far away from everything they were seeing. After a while, Neji finally spotted a butterfly. He waited, like a child for a present at Christmas, to see if she would see it and take off after it. He would have given anything for that. But the beautiful blue-and-white passed before her eyes as if all air looked like a butterfly. Quite a few butterflies had been out in the early evening and the sun was just falling behind the tree line. After about the tenth butterfly, he threw up his hands and scoffed in frustration.

To shake Hinata out of her walled-off trance, this movement had to have been very uncharacteristic for him. He had to ask her three times before she was sure she had heard right.

He grabbed her hand (out of impatience more than anything) and something seemed to shatter, something unseen that had been between them their whole lives.

"_Will you chase butterflies with me?"_

Now the notion of THE Hyuuga Neji chasing butterflies would make someone the laughingstock of every Konoha establishment and ninja in the world.

But neither cared in those few, precious moments. He didn't care._ I just want to see you smile again and love life because it makes me think this world isn't all hate and blood and manipulation. Make me remember we aren't just pawns for others' pleasure. _She always did.

She had blinked at his hand a few times before she had taken off, nearly dragging him along with her. It was a tad awkward at first but Hinata, deep within herself, knew she needed this. Knew he needed this. Together. Their "we" needed this. And as they came over the crest of the hill which had the wall below on its other end, she didn't slow.

"Do you trust me?" she asked just before they reached the top.

"Of course I trust you, Hinata-sama, why is that-"

She grabbed his other hand, jumping as high as she could with the momentum they had gained coming up the hill.

And they fell together, because his hands were holding hers and just this once he didn't let go and break her fall. Because it was their fall. They rolled together down the side of the hill covered in the yellow flowers of mid-summer. Without abandon they hooted and hollered and both were in full-blown laughter as they came to halt, side by side, at the bottom. The laughter didn't end there because a bright orange butterfly came and landed square on Neji's nose.

Normally, he would have shooed it away in a very cold and aloof fashion. But as Hinata rolled over backwards, her peels of laughter were so clear and giddy that his heart soared. Then she started chasing the other butterflies in the field and, though his orange buddy left, he would have been content to watch her forever, dancing among the summer flowers with grace immune to time and elements. The sun sank low in the sky as he watched her. Soon, he knew, she would climb the wall and look out over the vast expanse.

She did so, jumping ninja-style and sitting by a spot of green moss that had started to grow on the old wall in recent years. There were only a few beats of silence before she spoke the unspoken question that had hung between them on all their walks over the years.

_"Will you come up here with me?"_ she said. He stood immediately and looked up at her. Watching the sunset...wasn't something about this a little odd? He shook it off and joined her, settling not too close but not too far either.

The sun, having such a forlorn audience, didn't disappoint. Its choice hues seemed to be on full display that night, reds and oranges with streaks of yellow staying in full view long after their origin had gone down, intermingling with the starry night of the sky. Two pairs of eyes had been separately romanced by the sight in silence, knowing the moment need not be shared in words.

It was well into the night before Hinata spoke, not looking at him as she normally did but gazing out toward the now-risen moon.

"Neji, thank you" was all she had said. He'd expected her to talk about what had happened during the mission. She would usually at least outline it for him, Temari or Hanabi. But as far as he knew she still hadn't to this day, almost two years later.

Kurenai had died the next day. Shikamaru had solemnly adopted her and Asuma's child. The Hokage wasn't seen among the village for two weeks, not even in her favorite bars. Shizune attended the mission audiences in her lieu, though her master still had the final say.

It had been that next Tuesday, the day after the funeral as Hinata resumed her training and he watched her twist and strike in a much more deadly dance than in the field just a few nights before,when the notion he was in love with his cousin had blindsided him. He hadn't been the same since.

"You're distant today, handsome"

Neji was brought back to the present by a very demanding voice. He didn't know why he'd thought about that incident, in this situation of all situations. Perhaps because he had later learned it was something to do with a seduction gone awry that had led to the slaughter of so many. Information gathering of that nature was verrrry sensitive; one slip of the tongue, in word or in play, could end many lives.

All he knew was that he wasn't going to be taken for some easy target this time. His pride had been wounded and he wouldn't stand for it.

She'd currently been purring and pawing away at him for at least an hour but he wouldn't be swayed. He refused to-

His own moan caught him off guard. The way she had just stroked-

"Mmmmmmmmm" he let out again, trying to pull back from the motion but finding his body treacherous.

"That's more like it. Why do you try to resist something you know you want?" she whispered. Her breath was hot on his ear and his dominate tendencies were urging him to take control.

"So when do I get to seduce you?" he gasped out, panting heavily as her weight shifted to grind against him. As a rule, no penetration was allowed. But she didn't need it and that galled him to no end.

"That's not part of this training. You're having hard enough of a time keeping hold of yourself as it is" she said teasingly.

He wanted to retort with a scathing remark but it came out as a cry of pleasure instead. If she didn't stop-

And she didn't. She brought him to pleasure three more times before releasing him and he was exhausted, though he had held out much longer this time. His knees were slightly less weak than his first time, nearly a week ago. He'd had visited twice since but these appointments were scheduled seemingly without pattern, his next being only a day after tomorrow.

As he walked back to the Hyuuga grounds, guilt overrode him. He had long suppressed the suspicion of his love for Hinata going beyond that of familial duty and crossing without care the fence into romance. But now, though there was no romance in this whatsoever, she was brought to the forefront of his mind again, much to his chagrin. She had been partially why he was so virgin.

_He had time. He'd always have time._ That's what he'd told himself in the past, since that training session when the damn notion that he was in love with Hinata had crossed his mind. She's only 19 he had said. There'd be plenty of time.

And the same thing at her 20th birthday party, when suitors aplenty had come to gaze upon her and then make their requests at the end of the night. He had watched her dance with at least two dozen young gents from many different noble families of many different countries.

She had beguiled them all. She wasn't loud or obnoxious but a quiet listener and cared about each man in turn, giving each her full attention without ulterior motives and without encouraging jealousy between them. Until she had motioned toward him to join her,he hadn't realized he was holding his breath. He also ignored the slight twinge in the pit of his stomach. Had one of caught her eye so much that she wished for her trusted Neji to learn more about the stranger? He had certainly never expected she would want a turn on the dance floor with him.

"Thank you" she had said, almost breathless as the dance was in its final paces. Their easy silence had reigned for most of the dance. He lead gentlemanly and she had followed all the more beautifully.

"All these men want to do is talk. Mostly about themselves, t-though not all of them are stuck up. They talk of their h-houses and their inheritances and t-their s-siblings and who their p-parents are. Not a damn one of t-them will shut up and just enjoy the dance"

Now, all of this was whispered to him in a very soft, low tone for a number of reasons. She really did care about each of the suitors because she was Hinata and cared about everyone. However, she really hated a lot of small talk and didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make them think she didn't care. It was also because had Hiashi heard his daughter cuss, at a suitors' ball in her honor no less, he may have throttled her there and then.

Neji couldn't deny the slight smile and victory dance he did inside as he bowed to her, ending the dance so that the next person could slide in. The one following him was very handsome, as he could tell by his younger female cousins' expressions on the other side of the room. Tall, with eyes a shade of green Neji couldn't quite pinpoint. He was from Wave but he didn't know much about him other than that. He could tell within the first three minutes that it was not going well. Though subtle, he sensed Hinata's displeasure from the other side of the room. Fortunately he was able to cut in immediately and, since she allowed it, the suitor had no choice but to comply. He was fuming as he exited to the balcony.

This dance was a long one, nearly ten minutes. Unbeknownst to the twirling couple with matching eyes, many pairs of eyes were watching them.

_"That's the second time she's danced with that fellow"_

_"Yeah and she even called for him to come the first time"_

_"Who is he?"_

_"He's a rather dashing fellow, I'll give him that"_

_"It's just her family guardian, sort of like a watch dog I hear"_

_"Not from the way they're dancing, would you look at that-"_

It was the most intimate part of the dance, requiring the partners to clasp hands and go almost fully front-to-front with one another. It was the most risqué dance allowed among the Hyuuga and usually reserved for a bride and groom, along with other married couples, in celebration of a wedding. Hiashi had a sneaking suspicion his old servant had slipped it into the mix, though he couldn't imagine why he would do such a thing.

Soft whispers flowed into his ears as he sat at his raised table, a few of the suitors' voices tinged slightly with jealousy

_"She seems quite taken with him, that's for sure"_

_"Yes and they meld magically, not a movement out of time or out of sync"_

Hiashi was surprised and lifted his gaze to the dance floor, searching out his eldest daughter's blazing white kimono in the crowd. Could someone have finally caught her eye?

The targets of his eavesdropping had not lied. The way they moved bespoke attraction and not a superficial one by any means

As the number turned, Hiashi realized who his daughter was supposedly fond of. The Head had to subtly shake his head so as not to think he was looking in the past, at himself and his wife as they danced the same dance years ago.

He did not know what to make of this. He caught the eyes of the old sneak, who he suspected for throwing this dance in with the others, and the blasted man just smiled his usual smile. Hiashi recalled their conversation all those months ago and then, as if he could read his mind, the old man's eyes sought out the couple finishing the number on the dance floor. The Head could almost read his "I told you so" from across the room.

"You never told me what he said to upset you so much, Hinata-sama. If it was inappropriate, rest assured I will-"

_You're always so dependable, Neji-nisan_

"Not at all, I just wasn't pleased with the way he t-talked about someone I care about very much"

She had never explained further, though he had never been able to quite figure out the look in her eye as she spoke. He had also ignored his relaxation as his uncle proceeded to tell the council that none of the suitors had gained the heiress' favor at the next council meeting.

Yes, he would always have time. Time to spend with her.

_Will you say the same when she is 30?_

One tiny thought, a few short words and his security came crashing down. She would be 30 one day and the council wouldn't wait that long. At longest she had three years. "_It was too short_" was the first thought that crossed his mind. _At this rate, forever would be too short for you._

He was in a fury by the time he reached the inner courtyard. Even if he agreed with that sentiment, her forever and his forever didn't belong together. Destiny had certainly seen to that and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Though marriage between the branches had certainly happened before, it was quite a different thing when it came to Hiashi and his daughter.

His uncle did not question his unusual rage at their spar but instead informed him that he and Hinata-sama would have a private training session the following day at 2 in the afternoon, provided neither was sent on a mission. Neji nodded, leaving without a word in his normal fashion.

He could have no way of knowing he was a betrothed man. Hiashi had been watchful of their relationship, whether consciously or subconsciously, since their walk in mid-summer nearly two years ago. He was almost sure that, written in the caring words and soft silences, was the unspoken love between his daughter and nephew. Somewhere in the years of their youth, it had blossomed and was woven with a friendship and trust to put most relationships to shame. And after months of consideration and careful planning, Neji and Hinata's betrothal had been passed by the council. But no one except a few of the members had been present to hear the final outcome and they were expressly forbidden to reveal it until Neji and Hinata themselves knew. As of today, Neji was a betrothed man.

After their spar, Hiashi had sit in the outer courtyard, pondering if he was doing the right thing or not. He breathed deeply, leaning back to look toward the sky.

"You're doing the right thing, you know. Sure, they'll resist at first but only because they've had to deny loving one another so long"

The shocked man had leaned forward. It was just the old geezer.

"Heavens man, where did you learn to read minds? Or predict the future? Surely not in this household"

The other man laughed and served his master the tea he had brought. Typically Hinata made her father's tea but she was out again tonight, on special assignment from the Hokage.

"You only look up at the sky if you're meditating on a choice you've already made. If you're trying to decide, you clasp your hands together, trying with all your might to drill holes into that poor old desk of yours with your eyes. You've been doing that a lot until this afternoon. And you haven't been as secretive about jumping through hoops for their betrothal to pass as you think you have. You've been sneaking around for months and the only reason I know it's for something like that is because I know you listen even when you appear not to and you've seen them lately. Your nephew's realized it, he has, or is on the brink.

"Why have I not been tapping into this endless source of wisdom since I took over?"

"Oh sir, I only know most of what I know from nearly 80 years of observation. I was young when I first started in this house sir. And that was quite a lifetime ago now."

Hiashi laughed freely. "You know, some of the greatest ninja in the world would love to get their hands on you and interrogate you about the Hyuuga ways."

"They wouldn't have enough prune juice to bribe that out of me, sir" he replied easily, wishing Hiashi a good night.

Hiashi worried over his daughter. She had become more than he had ever hoped for; she had every bit of his strength and diligence yet infused both with her mother's kindness, gentleness and grace. Did she truly love Neji in that way?

_Father, I refuse to marry him! I don't care what ties it would give the family. I don't want to give myself to a man like that!_

_Hiashi had never seen his daughter so insistent. _

_"What makes you so sure of his character?"_

_"The way he talked about Neji made me so mad that you're l-lucky I didn't send him flying of the b-balcony..."_

The Head smiled, standing. He felt the wind change direction as he walked back in the house and he knew the change it brought would be good.

* * *

Hinata has always loved. For as long as she could remember, it was a language that flowed through her as naturally as the sun shone.

Unfortunately, she had been born into a ninja world where hate was valued and not love. Strength and not softness. Harshness and not gentleness.

She was the embodiment of all three. Even as a baby, the way her tiny hand had curled around her father's finger had been as soft as the kiss of a dove. She was never demanding or forcing of her own way. She was a gentle river and not a roaring waterfall. Though her cousin was usually the one connected with Destiny, she had been frustrated with it too. Why had she been born into a clan that detested her very nature? Why couldn't she have been a gentle farmer's daughter? She could have had a quiet life, away from the whizzing of shuriken and the clashing of kunai and the feel of steel against her skin.

But it had not been. And in time she had grown thankful for her place, for it had meant she got to see _him_. The boy with ocean eyes and hair like fields of wheat. The reason she tried so hard to get on top in the ninja world. The reason she had even gone for Jounin at 18 in the first place.

And then Destiny had mocked her again with an awkward run in as that boy and the other, prettier pink-haired girl were having a rather intimate meeting in an alleyway. Hinata often used said alleyway as a shortcut between the Hokage tower and the Hyuuga manor. She had stumbled and blushed her way out of it with a shred of dignity but she was sure the entire manner had heard her sobs late into the night. No one had bothered her about it, though, and that was fine with her.

After that, Sakura and Naruto had gone public and her life had been living hell for about a year. And then she had gotten over it. No, that made it sound too easy. It had been a moment by moment process. Some minutes she was barely hanging by a thread and others she was floating in a state of heart break. It alternated between the crushing pain of trying hold together and the searing pressure of trying to put her pieces back together. That hell had lasted almost a year before it had healthily healed. She'd hid it well, she knew, from everyone. And then Neji had just had to catch her on the bench in the park that day, crying her eyes out as silently as she could after a shared mission with Naruto and Sakura.

Somehow, after jumping out of her skin and looking up into his eyes, she got the impression it hadn't been all that accidental of a run in. They had shared a long, silent look into one another's eyes before Hinata had run off in search of solitude. Neither of them had ever acknowledged that meeting and Hinata didn't want to explain.

Their training the day after had been normal. And things had been normal. She had seen Neji a little less in the months leading up until her birthday but he invaded her thoughts often. Then as her 19th birthday approached, he had been overdue for a mission and feared dead. But he brought both of his teammates, as unconscious as they were, on his shoulders to the hospital nearly a week overdue. They'd almost lost Lee that time; it took him almost 6 months to heal.

Though his team wasn't aware and her cousin would never draw attention to it himself, it had taken Neji almost as long to heal too. She'd worriedly watch him work himself hard, too hard most nights for those five months, and she'd have to run to him after he collapsed from exhaustion. She'd pull his head into her lap and force him to take some form of nourishment. He would quietly take all of his, especially since no one was there to witness such an interaction. In those days Hiashi had been tirelessly charging against the family's old ways and it had greyed nearly all of his long dark mane. But he had been successful in extinguishing every trace of the Cursed Seal from every record, though the council had gotten in one final blow. All of the Branch members eight or younger had been given the seal, even if their fate was not yet decided. He worked tirelessly for a way to undo the seal, though his efforts had proved in vain. That was the very reason it had been chosen-for its permanence.

As Lee had healed,though, Neji had slowly forgiven himself. Hinata had been relieved, though she hadn't stopped watching him (just in case) for some time.

And so it had become their habit. If friends were over to spar, she was the healer on hand in case any of them ever went too far. That was another thing she secretly detested about ninja life. In normal places, people had their friends over for dinner or girlfriends over for sleepovers. And mayyyybeeee they got into a pillow fight. Those had happened too, just not near as frequently as sparring. And as ninja, they were never quite normal.

Like the one when she was 12 with just she, Sakura, Ino and Tenten. Naruto and some of the other boys had been caught spying and were beaten to a pulp within seconds.

And then when she was 16...she cringed. That one had been painful, though it had expanded to include Temari. They were just tenderly starting to seriously consider love, since they had made alive so far as ninja. Sakura had stepped out from Sasuke's shadow and most of the Konoha 12 had assumed she and Naruto would just fall together eventually. This assumption had shocked the young Hyuuga heiress and she had denied it. At least, she had until that fateful night when she ran into them in the alleyway. Ino had also grown out from under the now- forever missing nin's shadow. At first, it seemed like she and Shikamaru had a thing but then he finally got up the gumption to go for the Kazekage's sister. Ino had liked Sai for quite some time too but he would never be able to have a completely normal..._emotional.._life. So she and Chouji, after some awkwardness and denial, had settled into quite happiness about a year ago. Their wedding was soon and rumor had it that Naruto would be proposing soon as well.

She had always been a wallflower and time was leaving her behind. She didn't particularly feel the need to be married but she'd rather marry for love than wait for one of those over-stuffed noble_boys_ to be good enough for the council to force her hand.

And that's exactly what they had tried to do with giving her a ball for her 20th birthday. She'd looked terrible that night (not that she ever looked super grand) and her damn period cramps had made her look like a complete klutz while dancing. If not for Neji, she might have thrown a complete tantrum of frustration in the middle of the room. Not that their lives weren't interesting-some of them had been rather amusing and surprisingly selfless-but none of them were men. They were boys playing at being men, though she'd never hurt them by telling them such a thing. She had felt like a shiny marble, on display for all the little boys in a toy store to see and the one with the most bribes and money got her.

But while dancing with Neji, she had momentarily forgotten them. Them being everyone else in existence. They gazed into each other's eyes longer than ever before, even longer than the time in the park when he had caught her crying. This time was different, though. There was a different feel about them, them as two people where status was of no consequence. His hold had been firm and gentlemanly but affectionate. She couldn't put it in words but she didn't have to think about following when he lead; it was as if she were born to do it, as a bird is to fly.

And suddenly, she had crashed back down to the world as he was bowing, allowing someone else to partner with her. That had been a disaster; she had almost gentle-fisted the man through the wall. But Neji had come to her aid. How he had sensed her discomfort from his station across the room she had never guessed but she had been ever glad that he did.

Because that dance was the closest thing to perfection she had ever come close to grasping. There was no frustrating pretense or status quo nonsense to nuisance them in that dance. Though a slower number, it was much more intimate and she was surprised her father had allowed it. She had never been more glad Neji had cut in when he did, as they came face to face she was sure her cheeks had burst into flames and someone would call for a fire extinguisher. She could feel his well-built form pressed against her. Thankfully, the elevated heart rate and flushed hue could, this time, be attributed to dancing. As they had parted, she had never felt so alone even though he had only retreated across the dance floor. Eight more partners she had had that night and not one had the combination of strength and finesse to command and guide her as Neji had.

At the end of the night, every single suitor in attendance had made a request to her father for a courting relationship. Naturally, the council pushed for the brute from Wave whose name she now thought of with disdain. Her father had the final say, however, and by her bidding he wouldn't allow it, calling the man's character into question. It had been a wise choice, as they later found out, because the man had been caught red-handed in a brothel with three different girls in bed with him. _The night before his wedding night to another noble woman_. The council had been somewhat embarrassed and had stayed silent thus far on the matter of her marriage. That was certainly not the definition of a man to Hinata.

She hadn't allowed the consequence of her line of thinking to hit her until she was retired to her room and snuggled in her favorite old, warm pajamas. Then she had found herself sobbing the same as the night after the Naruto/Sakura run in, but for a totally different reason.

She was in distraught. This...this...whatever this was meant she had set Neji as her definition of a man. She saw him more as a man and not her cousin any longer. Had she gone and fallen in love with another unavailable man? When had this happened and how could she have let it happen?

She searched herself for days, trying not to hurt Neji by making her avoidance of him obvious. At the end, she had come to one conclusion: she was undeniably attracted to him and, even worse, completely in love with him. He was devoted. He was strong. He had never lied to her. He didn't seek to force her to be any way other than what she was, unlike Destiny and the rest of the world she existed in. For years, she had come alive and thrived under his guidance and care. And only he had been able to pull her from the darkness after that failed mission a couple years back. He had always been there for her, for years unswervingly. With a rush, a thousand memories had rushed over her like a dam.

Oh hell no. She was _not_ in love with Hyuuga Neji. Exact opposite of Naruto but still just as unavailable, albeit for different reasons. Neji would never go for someone like her. He needed someone...well she didn't know what he needed exactly but it wasn't her.

No, she had shoved it under a load of missions as well as helping the Hokage develop the new seduction training program. She had never really intended to participate herself and, when the Hokage had suggested it, all she had been able to do was sputter

"M-M-M-Me?"

But that's just what happened. She had perhaps used the suggestion selfishly, in her want to forget Neji and remember him all the same.

Her lessons had been private. Her father need not know what they were for. She was really shy about learning male anatomy at first and fainting had happened more than once. But she had surprised herself the first time they had a lesson in the dark. The Hokage had teased her about having a split personality. Some nights she thought she did.

But she had stuck through. This would help save lives. So information wouldn't slip so damn easily and other people's Shinos and Kurenais would survive even though her's hadn't.

Those first couple days after Kurenai's passing had been rough. She and Kiba had spent nearly every moment together. The second night, they had fallen asleep in a field, curled up with Akamaru and sick of wailing and crying. Neji had been furious upon finding them, scolding her for staying outside all night. She had been confused at his fury. She and Kiba had stayed out like that countless times on innumerable missions. But then she realized that, in her grief, she had forgotten to tell anyone where she was going.

After that night, she and Kiba were never the same. They hadn't meant for it to happen and Akamaru still bounded up to her with glee each time they came in contact but...something about being together was just too painful. They were missing the other half of their team. And if they were together, it was just a painful, blatant reminder the screamed of the others' absence. They were ninja. When paired together on missions, they got over it, buried it for the duration of the mission. But their friendship was forever altered and never as easy as it once had been. As a result, she had spent more time with Neji than ever before. Now she could barely look at him. Again. She supposedly loved him but did all these other deeds...

No, this is to save lives.

She was still a virgin. That was a fact she very much liked to keep to herself. At her age, even Tenten and the rest of the girls assumed she'd been with someone. Only Temari and Sakura knew different. Temari because she'd witnessed her almost faint last year after being caught naked (that was also a long painful story) and Sakura because she examined her during her physicals.

Tenten assuming that about her had been difficult. During one very awkward lunch she had had with Neji and his teammates recently, Tenten had asked about her love life and if she knew anything about a certain shinobi's prowess in bed and Hinata had almost choked on her miso soup. The corner of Neji's eye had twitched painfully though he had covered his discomfort much better than Hinata, as always. She had responded with a negative and Lee had risen to the occasion, answering with more than an earful of what Tenten had wanted to know, though most of what he said was overheard gossip from bars.

"He brags about it? Oh, he's out then..." the brunette had said, sighing sadly.

"Why is that, my youthful Tenten? Did you not hear my statement..."

"Knock it off Lee, I heard the first dozen shouts. And it's always the loud braggarts that have something to compensate for, don't you know that?"

The Hyuuga cousins had sit quietly and departed together after that, choosing wisely not to prolong the matter that had been introduced.

"Hey, Tenten is what you say about silence truthfully truthful? Because Neji and his youthful cousin Hinata NEVER say anything about their youthful escapades..."

"Ew, Lee! Oh...you're right..."

Unfortunately, that had led to a painful few days were Tenten and Lee tag teamed both Hinata and Neji, attempting to corner them and force their sex stories out of them.

And their dogged persistence was only encouraged by the cousins' vehement denial. Convinced of the juicy stories that must lay beneath those cold and shy exteriors respectively, the cousins had taken to sticking together so that the two knuckleheads wouldn't bother them.

Neither minded. Secretly, both had been relieved that the other sought refuge and protection within their togetherness. And the fact that both were so closed off about their intimate lives had been a relief too, though they didn't realize it was for the same reason. Neither had anything to tell.

Now she didn't feel like she could face him. If anyone in the family, especially him, found out they would disown her and think her a whore for the rest of her life. The shame would follow her even after she was forced into a loveless marriage with Mr. I-have-20ponies from some nameless country.

She loved her father but he would do what was best for the clan.

She sighed a tired and frustrated sigh. But this evening's appointment had been amusing. He had been more challenging, though distant. Whoever he was, he was well-built and had wonderful stamina. He had also not had all that much experience in intimate matters, not that she was one to judge. She passed the spar between her father and cousin, shyly watching for a few moments between the panels.

The men in her life always amazed her. Neji's form was so solid and yet sleek, able to strike with the strength of a lion but the finesse of a cobra. Unlike most shinobi, who liked to train with their shirts off and show off their fit physiques, her cousin preferred full clothing even in high summer.

_It's highly unlikely I will ever be without my shirt on a mission. I like to train for the elements._

And he was right. But any woman could see he was muscular and part of the reason his fan girls in the village were driven wild was because of the mystery he left to them. She was one of the few people to have seen him shirtless.

"Something on your mind, Hinata-sama?"

Her favorite servant, an old man that entertained her with stories of her father when he was young, was looking at her with his usual mischief simmering in his eyes.

"N-N-No, not at all"

"Unlike a lot of Hyuuga, you aren't good at keeping secrets. You never have been and this clan's all the better for it" he assured before walking away.

She had always liked him. She scurried off to her room, though she could have watched him spar all night. In stamina he had bested even Hiashi, though age was certainly a factor now days. Hiashi was nearing 60, though clan heads weren't expected to retire until 70 or 75, his age was certainly showing now even more than just a year ago.

_Soon. It's all too soon_. She spoke aloud to no one in particular.

Thoughts of marriage and her father growing old had been lightyears away when she first became a ninja. And now everything had changed so much.

Though Hinata had no way of knowing just how close marriage and change was on the horizon, she was bewildered to find that Neji would be 22 in a few weeks' time. It was nearly the end of June.

Almost two years since she had heard Kurenai's sweet voice sing her child to sleep.

Almost two years since Shino's quiet yet comforting presence had completed their trio and they had taken lovely strolls through the forests of Konoha together.

She tried not to count time by their loss anymore. It was hard not to.

And she would be 21 at the end of this year. That seemed far too old. But she was an adult and she shook the nostalgia from her mind, groaning as it settled on Neji instead. It felt as if the deeds she performed in the dark could be read as plain as day on her face. She'd always felt that way with her cousin, as if he could see everything she ever thought or felt.

She felt naked under his gaze and-no, she couldn't allow her mind to go there. She'd faint if that ever did happen in real life. And it was never going to, so she could forget about it.

She needed a shower badly. She tried to scald him from her mind and it worked fairly successfully. She tumbled into a semi-peaceful sleep, unaware that her betrothed lay awake in the same manor, thinking about just what the hell he was going to do about her.

If he loved her, should he continue on with these appointments? That was selfish, gaining pleasure without commitment and also partially why he had never sought the company of whores. Especially since the only reason he would do that was because she, the one who he really wanted,was ever out of his reach like some sort of angel from a different plane of existence. One he couldn't reach even in his dreams.

* * *

Sooooooooo what do ya think? Too much background and too little focus? Too cliché? Too boring? Or did you love it? I'm trying to weave a good read rather than a 'hey all they do is this one thing" type of story.

...you likey? yes or no?


	3. Chapter 3

If either Neji or Hinata thought it odd that Hiashi had begun setting private sessions for them almost every day, neither said anything about it. They may have even been secretly happy about seeing each other so often. Both had had busier lives than usual in recent months.

Their time passed in this manner for nearly two weeks. Beneath the heat of the sun they sparred, partners in a deadly dance. After sunset they unknowingly shared a very different dance, shrouded in the night.

In the dark, they threw themselves wholly into each other's grasp. If only for the few hours where she drew out his pleasure, they were able to paradoxically forget one another and yet imagine the other was there. Neji could forget the raven tresses cascading down her back and the determined glint in her eye as she faced him, no longer the girl that hid from him behind Hiashi's robes. When she looked like that, an intense urge to break the gentle-fist stance and pin her against the nearby tree shot through his veins. No, that wouldn't ever happen. It would frighten her and maybe even disgust her a little. Their walks had shown them that she was not adverse to his touch but...

Neji gripped his knee tightly as a warm tongue found its way to his inner thigh. Despite this woman's increasing prowess, he wished it was Hinata whose mouth so expertly encased his length. She would never be so bold but he knew that, deep down, he was always imagining the heiress with him. _What if he could get her to relax enough around him to perform such acts? What if she trusted him enough? He was sure to come unglued even faster..._

Hinata could forget the man who was everything she would never be. The man who stood across from her, daily now, in an identical yet more perfected stance. The hands that had once struck her, intending her demise, she now wished would reach out tenderly to her, caress her...touch her chest with very different intentions. But even then, she knew she would lose herself and once again be seen as weak in his eyes-weak with pleasure by his ministrations.

Suddenly, the man above her let out a groan. He released the knees he had been clenching in order to maintain control and his hands grasped her head desperately, holding her in position as if his life depended on it. She smiled, knowing he felt her do so against his skin.

Unbeknownst to anyone but Shizune, Hinata and the Hokage had worked tirelessly over the past months to develop this program. Willing female participants were plentiful enough but fashioning a training method as well as a place to train had taken weeks and weeks of meetings and planning. The Hokage had informed her father that she would be on special assignment with her for an unknown and lengthy period of time. Hiashi hadn't had a problem as long as it didn't interrupt her training or, as the future head, lessons and meetings within the clan. So Hinata's life had become incredibly busy and she barely had time to do anything outside of her obligations. But it had paid off. With Tenzou's help, they had fashioned some unique wooden panels. The first of their kind, these were infused with a special substance Tsunade herself had created to warp and distort chakra flow. This quality was amplified by Tenzou's special wood and special chakra strings that linked panel to panel. As a result chakra signatures, even familiar ones, were unrecognizable.

The panels had been installed in an old outbuilding once used by a family of genjutsu users as a training ground. Though most had perished in the Kyuubi's destruction of the village all those years ago, the surviving daughter had agreed to lend it to the Hokage's purposes. She had taken up the duty of receptionist as she alone could navigate the complex maze that used genjutsu to its advantage. To test it out, the Hokage had stood in the middle of the room and asked either Shizune or Hinata to enter. Tsunade herself hadn't been able to tell which woman stood beside her.

That success gave them new hope but could not prepare them for the difficulty of the training methods. Aside from Hinata, most of the recruits had to be put through etiquette lessons. Some of them had to take weeks and weeks of lessons before they could pass at a noble court or an upper-class manor. Hinata hadn't realized until then what she had taken for granted about being raised among the Hyuuga.

And then the emotional training part had to be solid. You couldn't go getting attached to the target, lest emotions get involved and the mission compromised like what had happened to Kurenai and Shino. It had been merciless and a several of the recruits and been forced to drop out of the program. Then the technique training had begun, though Hinata had only done so with the Hokage in privacy. The others had been taught by the highest-grossing whores in town. However, it was too easy for the other girls to gossip about the future Head of Hyuuga being a seduction expert. Her father and the Council would not be pleased she was a part of such illicit activities, no matter how important they might be. Plus, she didn't know if she could bear Neji having that knowledge of her. Secretly, she wished she would have the chance to be with the stoic man in this manner. _Could she ever be so brave? Could she break his serious façade? Would he lose himself to pleasure as the man with her was?_

Her thoughts were pulled away as warm liquid filled her mouth. She swallowed dutifully before standing and beginning to circle him. She began massaging his shoulders; she knew he liked to feel her breasts pressed against him and she did so as her hands worked down to his lower back. He relaxed against her, coming down from the after-orgasm haze. She was surprised to discover a few nights ago that her client had short hair, though she didn't know quite why she had expected different.

_Because you've been thinking about Neji_

She blushed, glad for the cover of the dark room. This room was the only place she could be bold, let herself turn inside out and not be normal stuttering, incompetent and insecure Hinata.

"You're rather good at this, you know" her male companion said quietly. She bent to bite the back of his ear and nibble on it.

"Thanks for the compliment, handsome. But we're pretty much done for today. Sorry to cause you such pleasure and run"

As usual, silence met her statement and she pressed her breasts more adamantly against his back. His sharp inhale told her that this pressure was having the desired effect. However, time was up and she moved away from him after a few more seconds of teasing. To her surprise, a hand grabbed her wrist. She was twirled backward and she could sense being face-to-face with him in the dark. His lips met hers before she could stop him. They were warm and hungry. She heard a low growl come from deep in his throat.

"Don't think I couldn't do the same to you, if given the chance" he said, releasing her wrist and all but shoving her away from him. She hopped back to her side of the room just in time for his door to the outer entrance room to open.

In the other room, the man had a huge smirk on his face. He was proud of his bluff, even if he truly wouldn't know what to do with a woman's body, he had certainly convinced her that he did. He didn't like anyone thinking they had such easy control over him; these lessons had already taken a notch out of his pride.

Neji let down his hair. Tying it up had become is habit after the first night. His long hair was too easily recognizable. He knew the woman he only met in the dark had long hair but there were several kunoichi with long hair.

The receptionist was there outside the exit room as always, ready to undo the voice changes she had made before the appointment. She also handed Neji his schedule for the coming week. He didn't have another appointment for three days and that one was later than all the rest had been:midnight. Why so late he couldn't imagine, though he was relieved that he wouldn't have to ask Hiashi-sama's permission to be absent at the clan meeting. Explaining that could turn invasive for Hiashi and embarrassing for Neji.

* * *

The next day, Hinata and Neji were asked to practice high-level taijutsu without using Jyuuken. Blocking and parrying, Hiashi instructed, were to be their main points of focus. They met later than their now-normal time of 2pm, as it was a particularly hot July day. They started at about a quarter to 7. Hiashi was in attendance. Everything was going normally and by 8 they were both a little worn, panting.

Neji was silently impressed. His cousin's ability to predict movement had certainly improved since the last time they practiced, if not by leaps and bounds. What the hell had she been doing? Reading books on body language?

He rushed her again but she anticipated his movements yet again, blocking his blow without a trace of meekness. Then she dodged his second and third blows, landing behind him and coming against his back. The genius was about to follow the appropriate maneuver to escape and block her when his nerve-memory alerted his mind to the presence behind him.

Neji froze.

Hinata was as surprised as Hiashi when she managed to launch her cousin across the spar area. She'd expected him to block her attack, without fail, as he had done an untold number of times before. She gave a surprised gasp and immediately ran to see if he was okay. She'd put more force in that blow than she'd thought.

Hiashi was also puzzled at the scene that had just taken place before his eyes. Never in all of his life had he seen Neji freeze like that. It was almost as if he had seen a ghost. However, the look on his face hadn't been fear but something more akin to bewilderment.

Even as Hinata was running to him now, he was looking at her like she had a second head or suddenly sprouted tentacles.

_No. It couldn't be. I'm imagining things that I wish were true_

"N-Neji, Neji are you alright?" she said, bending down to his level. The stuttering reassured him somewhat.

_But she felt so familiar and hit me at just the same height and angle...no. The woman in the dark and Hinata have nothing in common._

He looked into his cousin's wide, innocent face as she blinked at him. Her hair was framing her face in the most attractive way...

_No, I'm crazy. This sweet little thing would probably faint from kissing a man, let alone dirtier acts. _He then realized that he had no idea if his cousin was still a virgin or not. As heiress, it was expected. As a ninja however...

It was now that the Head, all but forgotten, cleared his throat. "I was waiting for a good pause anyway. There is something you both must know"

Hiashi had waited nervously for this day for two weeks now. Two weeks was the maximum amount of time allowed to override a decision in the Council. Neji and Hinata's betrothal had had until noon today to be torn down. Some had raised a little havoc but nothing had come of it. Hiashi had never exhaled as deeply as when the clock in the hall struck noon earlier today. Their future together was a sealed deal now and all he had to do was wrangle them into it...acknowledging their mutual love that is.

His nephew finally shook his head and collected himself. He and Hinata both advanced toward the older Hyuuga, stopping and bowing just in front of him

He started as any normal conversation about goings on in the clan would. But Neji soon caught on to his end goal: marriage. He felt his fist clench. The Council had finally gotten restless enough to force Hiashi's hand. But who had they chosen for her? Someone from the village? Some nobleman from a far off place so that Hinata would go and live there and he wouldn't have to think about them living out their lives _together? Going on walks and watching the sky and raising children and...and.. making love..."_

His head jerked slightly to the side out of disgust. No, she was heiress. Of course she would stay here. The time had come and he was losing Hinata. She would willingly go into another man's arms. She loved her clan too much to disobey, even if she wanted to.

Hiashi was still talking but Neji was lost. Words were nothing to him and blurred by his ears at an imperceptible pace. He should be dutiful and pay attention until the end but if Hiashi's speech ended then he would hear the name of her future husband. A future she would have that didn't contain him. At the close of that speech he would lose Hinata to a faceless name or worse, a face with blue eyes and golden hair. Or maybe even Kiba; he was an heir to a powerful clan after all.

Hinata had paid rapt attention. She had also caught on to the train of the speech, though she couldn't imagine its final destination. She'd been suspicious that her father had worked to further unite the branches when the new additions to the main house had been made in early spring. The branch houses were mainly empty now and the whole family lived together as one clan, though the Council members still had their separate housing.

She was still a little shocked from her cousin's earlier defeat and glanced at him shyly out of the corner of her eye as her father was explaining something about how he hoped they were both happy with the arrangement. Neji wasn't himself and didn't even seem to be paying attention to Hiashi.

Her father was now talking about her succession as clan leader and she snapped back to attention. Suddenly, she heard her father's words as if in a dream. The only word out of that sentence that fully registered in her ears was a name: Neji.

At his name, the genius was pulled out of his thoughts. What had his uncle just said about him? Perhaps he was just calling him back to attention...

"Excuse me, Hiashi-sama" he said, barely keeping his mask intact. He didn't look back at either one of them as he bounded off into the setting sun. Hinata stared at the spot where her now-betrothed had been for several seconds before she hung her head. _He must be terribly upset...and disappointed..._

The unbidden tears streamed down her cheeks before she could stop them. But she kept her voice even as she looked up at her father, asking his permission to take leave. The shocked Hiashi nodded solemnly, not chastising his daughter for her tears for the first time since she was three. She turned and walked as calmly as possible toward her room.

Hiashi fell back as if the wind had been knocked out of him. That was the last reaction he had expected out of either of them. _Had he done the right thing?_

* * *

Their was a tense atmosphere around the clan manor for the next few days. Neji was totally absent and Hinata couldn't meet her father's gaze.

_"I'm sorry father, I didn't know he still hated me so much..." _she had apologized to him the next morning.

Hiashi postponed the council meeting, hoping this was all a great misunderstanding. Hinata concealed herself within her room and only came out for meals. Her eyes were red almost every time and her cheeks were permanently tear-stained. She finally had what she had wanted...but it caused the person she loved most pain. It made her sick with herself all over again.

Neji spent most nights deep within Hyuuga grounds, perched in tree tops and meditating. His carelessness in monitoring his feelings for Hinata had to be compensated for now. He had to detach...to let her go...

Hanabi and her father were at a loss. Hanabi tried coaxing her sister out of her room. She had been allowed to enter once but when she had tried to assure Hinata that Neji did care about her, all she had received in a reply was "obviously not" and her sister had shut down. She wasn't totally invalid and still went to see the Hokage but it was with a careful, cold mask that she did so.

Neji all but barreled down the door to his next appointment. He needed to forget. He needed to remember that their was life without Hinata.

That appointment was the weirdest of them all. The woman in the dark wasn't the same as the one who knew him so intimately and yet not at all. Though it was strongly veiled in the absence of light, he could sense her long held confidence had been shattered. She was almost hesitant to touch him. Despite his situation with Hinata, his curiosity was piqued. What could make someone's confidence disappear so suddenly? Perhaps one of her missions had gone badly...

Neji was unaware, but he wasn't acting the same as the man whose every inch Hinata had mapped. He'd always been detached from the act before but now he seemed detached from life itself.

"Somethin' wrong tonight, handsome?" she inquired, proud that her voice didn't break. Neji had confirmed her worst fears: she was so undesirable that it caused men pain to think of being with her.

"I could ask you the same question" he replied sharply. In return, she had him screaming for release within three minutes.

The name he screamed last was undeniable: Hinata. Though he tried to cut it off, that had undoubtedly been the name on his lips.

She ceased touching him, feeling her heart rate increase. _Did he know..._

"Is that what's wrong tonight? Did your girlfriend break up with you?" she asked, knowing very well that the only Hinata in the village had never been anybody's girlfriend. She was betrothed but...

The silence almost had weight.

"Is she the reason you're so far from me all the time, handsome? You wish it was her?" she taunted, attempting to keep her cover intact. She couldn't react oddly on a mission if she heard her given name. Surely someone in the village couldn't desire her so much as to be thinking about her during an orgasm? _That was absurd, she-_

"More than you could know" was all he said, answering her last question.

Though they'd scarcely been there for half an hour, Hinata signaled that the session was over. After her partner had stepped back through the door, Hinata collapsed in the center of the room.

* * *

As the Hokage read the announcement that had laid under a pile on her desk for a month, she was startled. This was important from the Hyuuga clan, how the hell had this been buried?

She opened it immediately, scanning it four times before the words sunk in. Oh man... she was in serious trouble and Hinata was going to be upset after all the hard work they'd done together. But she didn't have a choice. She would have to pull the girl from the training and never send her on a mission that required those skills. Hiashi would skin her alive if he knew his successor had already...

She quickly opened her file inconspicuously labeled "Birds & Bees" to the list of partners for the program. Hyuuga Hinata...Hyuuga Hinata...ah! here it is and she's partnered with...

Her laughter rang throughout the building. How had that escaped notice? She sent an affirmative reply to Hiashi, assuring him all his requests would be completed without fail. Then she poured a celebratory glass of sake. When Shizune inquired what it was for, her simple reply was:

"There's going to be a wedding!"

Though Tsunade couldn't tell her whose it was until it was officially announced in the village this coming weekend.

* * *

So this wasn't nearly as long as the last one. I hope you all like it! Last chapter was one of my best chapters but I really hope I did okay with this one too! R & R!


	4. Chapter 4

This was his first time in a bed. Neji would have thought that ironic, if he'd had all that much time to think.

The man had been surprised when she had led him to a previously unexplored part of the room. She'd always pleasured him as he sat on a chair or clutched the wall...or her hair...for support. Tonight's objective was different. She was supposed to be subtly gathering pieces of information without asking directly for it, an invaluable skill in seduction. She had already earned two of the three facts when she sweetly asked him to lay down on the bed. His wrists were bound tightly to the posts before he even realized what was happening.

And now, she was rubbing some sort of oily lotion all over his body. She began his pleasured torture at his toes. The way her fingers skimmed and worked was maddening. He wanted to pull away as each of her hands began to massage their respective cheeks-and not the ones on his face. He exhaled as her hands finally withdrew from their ministrations but gave a cry of surprise a moment later when one of her hands slipped between his legs. It felt too good. He felt so virgin as he released into her hand after hardly two minutes of her hand's movements. He should be able to last longer than that. It was his fault. He shouldn't have been thinking about Hinata on his way here and wishing it was her doing this to him...even after all his meditation he still couldn't let her go. It was torture; her face was everywhere.

He needed to get out of here.

"Don't go trying to escape, handsome, or I might have to pin you" she chided, and her legs straddled him. Then he felt her stomach slowly lower down onto his mid back. He shut his eyes in the dark, trying to be unaffected by what was coming next. Nothing happened for nearly a minute. The anticipation was agonizing. When she did bring her breasts down onto his upper back, he bit down on the pillow. . He then realized that her front must be covered in the oily substance as well, and that her clumsy slipping and sliding all over him was on purpose.

He muttered what she wanted to hear in a mournful mixture of lust and agony. She ceased, rolling off of him almost immediately. That was the final piece of information she needed.

"Should've held out longer handsome; I had a lot more in mind" she said, cutting the bonds on his wrists.

The sky was darkening as he exited, pondering how to hide the rope burns at training tomorrow.

* * *

Friday faded quickly. Their betrothal was to be announced tomorrow morning.

Hinata sunk down, back against the wall at the foot of her bed. Every ligament screamed in pain and she was certain the entire length of her left leg would be purple by morning. But it was distraction.

If Sakura and Temari had noticed her more-violent-than-usual manner they hadn't said anything. Their spar had brutal, more brutal than any she'd ever had. Even...

_No. Don't think his name. You haven't cried all day and you're not going to start now._

Her head hit the back of the wall. She'd laid awake many nights in her life staring at this same ceiling. The night after the dreadful Chuunin spar. The night she realized she would never see Shino again or hear Kurenai's voice. The night after her 20th birthday ball. The night after she had ran into Sakura and Naruto in the alleyway. But now her mind desperately cleaved to the slightest change...a small crack, new faded shapes from the sun...anything to grasp a hold of and make her forget the loveless marriage ahead of her...or even worse a one-sided-love marriage.

She ran over the conversation in her head:

_"I'm so sorry that I will have to quit on you, Hokage-sama, after all the work we've b-both put into this and the time you've t-taken to-"_

_"Nonsense Hinata" the older woman had quickly silenced. "We both knew this could happen even though we didn't expect it so soon. I am relieved to see that you don't mind giving it up after coming so far in your confidence. But I guess you'll have Neji to practice with"her Hokage and now close confidant had joked.  
_

_Hinata caught her countenance from falling completely but not before her long-time mentor caught it._

_"Oh no. He hasn't been mean to you has he? Because if he has-"_

_"N-No. It's nothing like that. It's j-just...this was really s-sudden and I'm not sure it's what..." she paused before saying his name. "he wanted..."_

And her facade had gone to hell from there. She had ended up crying the anguish of the last few days out on the Hokage's couch like a stupid child. Of all people, she shouldn't be doing this in front of her boss, her Hokage and everything else. But the older woman had listened intently.

_"It's okay Hinata. You aren't dramatic about every little thing so I am happy to listen every now and again. I'm also a woman. We're both strong women but as a favorite Nara of mine says, we have our soft sides too."_

Hinata chuckled slightly as she remembered the Hokage offering to beat him to a pulp. She had politely declined but was giggling as she exited. Hinata promised to help the Hokage in running the program in all other aspects aside from actual participation.

And then she had nearly ran right into Tenten and Lee but managed to back around the corner just in time.

_"I wonder what was eating Neji today" the brunette was musing to Lee._

_"I'm not sure I've ever seen him quite that livid. All Gai-sensei did was ask how youthful Hinata-san was doing..."_

A single tear escaped down a familiar path.

* * *

It was not beyond Neji's dignity to slink back into the compound at in the early hours of the morning and raid the main kitchen's pantry. And that's what he was currently doing, assuring all family members were asleep or otherwise occupied in their rooms. He had tried to stop himself from looking in on the heiress but he still couldn't help it.

He thought it odd that she wasn't in bed at this hour. But he didn't look into the matter further as his stomach growled impatiently.

"Shhhh. I know; I know" he whispered.

As he absentmindedly searched for food, his mind went back to what he had witnessed via the Byakugan and the Hokage's window. His cousin was there and in obvious distress. Something had welled up in him then, a desire to protect her. To cut into this dance and sweep this suitor away as he had once done to stop her uneasiness. But he couldn't, not this time. As much as he ached to.

He shut the pantry door maybe a little too hard. Or that's what he told himself when he nearly ran over one of the elderly servants. He vaguely recalled this man was a favorite of his uncle's. Surely the door must have woken the old man. And he was so preoccupied that he was not expectant of another figure in the hallway.

"Excuse me" he said, juggling several rice balls in one hand.

"Neji sir, is that you my boy?" he elderly man inquired.

"Yes it is, I'm sorry I ran into you but I-"

"Oh, that's okay. No harm done, no harm done. Just on my way to the restroom, you know. When you get as old as I am it's a necessity at this time of night"

The genius had nodded and gone on his way, bypassing the servant.

"But while you're here, let me congratulate you sir"

Neji froze. "C-Congratulate me on what exactly?"

"Why sir...your betrothal of course, what else is there at the moment, sir?" the old man said innocently.

"M-my..." his hand steadied him against the wall. No, it couldn't be. Hiashi wouldn't set both of their marriages at the same time. Hinata's, as heiress, would be much more important...

"Who am I betrothed to?"

That earned him an amused laugh. "Sir, I don't know why you're asking me as if you don't know yourself but I suppose if I were engaged to her I would like hearing it again too: lovely Miss Hinata of course sir. Master Hiashi informed you both of that at your last spar, you-"

He didn't hear what else the old man had to say. The rice balls lay in the hallway, as forgotten as the hunger in his stomach.

Neji never did stop to consider that there wasn't a bathroom in that area of the manor.

* * *

Hinata's knees were pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her head was leaning on her forearms. The tears had stopped for now.

She was exhausted. But she couldn't find the will to crawl the few inches to her bed. _This will not crush you. You are strong, not that meek girl of three..._

A knock at her door. At this hour? It had to be nearly 4 in the morning...

"Go away Hanabi-chan. I already t-told you that I am f-fine" she snapped, drawing her knees closer and hugging them tighter.

When the door slid open, she lifted her head to argue with the younger girl. In that moment, she would have given anything to see her sister.

The man at the door said nothing. He looked almost dazed, if Neji could be in such a state. He was looking at her as if she would disappear at any moment, as if he wasn't quite sure of her physical solidity.

She kept her head down. NO WAY was he going to see that she'd been crying. His strides toward her were long and silent. Suddenly, he loomed above her, staring at her intently. He still looked as if he were trying to decide if she was really here or not.

"W-What do you want at this hour, N-N" she wasn't sure if she could finish his name. But it didn't matter. He interrupted:

"Is it true?"

Her gaze remained fixed on the floor.

"Hinata-sama, look at me"

She stubbornly refused him for the first time in her life.

"Hinata-sama, I won't ask anything else of you if you'll just look at me now"

Her head jerked up. Her heart froze when their eyes met; his sped up.

He wanted to kiss her. He jolted as he realized that, if what the old man had said were true, he could indeed kiss her. _But what if I am the reason she's so upset?_

The moonlight filtered through her window. He knelt down to her level, coaxing her eyes to follow his. They did. He saw the tear streaks stand out angrily against her smooth, nearly flawless skin (she had a small scar on her left cheek from a mission a few months ago). _I finally have what I want but it's causing her pain..._

"N-Neji?" she breathed quietly. He realized that he had been staring at her a long time. But he still didn't know what to say. How do you express something like this in words? How do you...

"A-Are you angry with m-me? With the m-m-main branch for t-trying to c-control your d-d-d-destiny again? I'm s-so s-s-sorry..." she hiccuped through her sobs, holding the actual tears at bay for now.

"No" he answered simply. Because that simple statement quieted her sobs, he felt somewhat comforted.

"T-Then why did you r-react the way you d-did? I'm so sorry that m-my existence has c-caused you t-trouble yet a-again..."

Oh boy, here it goes. He grabbed her chin and tipped it up.

"I thought I was losing you for sure" was all he said. Her eyes widened. He held her gaze steadily, ignoring the growing heat in his own cheeks. Surely she hadn't heard him correctly...

"Y-You mean y-y-you..."

"Yes. Hinata-sama, yes" he rasped out.

"Since w-when...?" she was bewildered. That was all she could think to say other than "KISS ME THEN, YOU FOOL OF A GENIUS'"

"Since the week after that failed mission with Shino and Kurenai. Maybe longer but that's when I became aware of my attachment to you. I was just delaying the inevitable, seeing you like this if I asked Hiashi-sama for your hand when I knew you wanted Naruto. I never wanted to force it. Your happiness is worth so much more to me than my own, I-"

But he didn't get to finish. Hinata stopped the next words with her own lips. Though normally patient, she wasn't waiting any longer. That was only one of the million things that shocked him about her initiation.

This first kiss was only a few seconds long. But it was very sweet. So sweet that Neji, though in some state of shock, dipped in for another and nearly shouted in elation when it was accepted. There were several more of these kisses and Hinata's hands were gripping Neji's back for support before more words were exchanged.

"Naruto is marrying Sakura in the s-spring, on the first of May I think" she informed him. She was surprised he hadn't known; it should have been common knowledge by now.

Neji pulled back a little. "Hinata-sama, I'm sorry to hear that. If you need time to-"

"Do I look upset over that fact?" she stated bluntly, kissing him again. He broke the kiss abruptly. He needed a few things explained.

"But I thought you and he...and..." he let his inquisitive look finish the sentence for him. She sighed and leaned back, meeting his gaze directly. Of all the times for him to find he liked to talk...

"I ran into Naruto and Sakura having a rather...intimate meeting in t-that old alleyway we use as a sh-shortcut a few years b-back, when I was eighteen. So I sorta knew then that I must let g-go. It took about a year b-but I am okay...especially now..." she hinted, blushing brightly.

He didn't know what to say. Hinata-sama, heiress of the clan, was his betrothed. And she had her arms around him. And she was open to his kisses. Not Naruto's. His. All this was dizzying.

He leaned in, daring to taste her lips again. He felt her smile as their lips met. He smiled in response and he timidly let his hands rest on her shoulders. He moved to kiss her cheek but she flinched as he did so.

He lifted his eyebrows in question.

"S-sorry...my cheeks are r-raw from c-crying..."

His heart plummeted in his chest. "How long have you been crying?"

She looked away. "Since Tuesday after the s-s-spar...I was so sure you didn't want...m-me" she sputtered, ashamed of her weakness.

His head sunk in defeat. The ONE time he didn't pay attention.

"Hinata-sama, I am so undeserving of you. I was just so sure I was losing you that I quit listening. I thought that if I didn't hear the end then nothing would change, nothing would..." he leaned his head beneath her chin.

"I'm so sorry. I've broken my promise to never hurt you again..."

He didn't know what else to say. _What a way to begin a marriage..._

"N-Neji. We're human. We're ninja. And on t-top of all that, we're Hyuuga. We're going to h-hurt each other sometimes" she cooed softly. His head lifted and she was smiling at him.

"F-Forgive me for not going to father about this sooner?" she asked, leaning her forehead down to lean against his.

"Sooner?" he inquired.

Her blushed deepened and she nodded. "I-I-I...after that ball on my 20th birthday...I stayed up a long t-time thinking about you. And ever since then I've let it g-grow...p-p-perhaps a little out of hand.."

"So you...you really do want this marriage? I'm not going to make the easiest husband" he warned. _What did she mean by " a little out of hand?"_

"And I won't make the perfect wife" she replied. He opened his mouth to tell her not to downplay herself, but stopped as soft fingers moved against his lips.

"I-I am rather surprised that father arranged t-this, though. He's been quite s-sneaky about the whole thing. But I am g-glad too" she whispered, shyly caressing his cheek.

"Hinata-sama, can I kiss you again?" he said breathlessly. She bit her lip in the most adorable way and nodded shyly.

"If you w-want to-"

"Only for the last million years"

He didn't mean for them to end up against the wall. He'd waited a long time and didn't want to rush her. He still wasn't sure of the level of physical contact she had experienced. But he could ask her about that later. For now, her hands were timidly clasped around his neck. Her back was against the wall and their tongues were moving together. She had flushed the deepest red he had seen on her yet but had opened her mouth to him willingly. He wasn't pressing fully against her, afraid to frighten her but he was blocking her escape route. They wouldn't go much farther before their wedding night. Other than the clan rules, he still needed to prove to his bride that he was attracted to her and not just her body. He didn't hide his groan, though, when he thought of her as his bride.

"N-Neji..." she panted, breaking the kiss. A soft cough sounded from the doorway.

Hanabi was barely choking down her giggles. She'd never seen her cousin so unguarded or imagined him to be so passionate. And she'd never seen her sister give into her desires like that. Yep, those two were good for each other.

"I shall...inform father that the engagement is certainly still on" she said a little awkwardly with a huge, knowing grin. _It's probably around 5 so of course Hiashi-sama will be awake!_

Neji had only looked over his shoulder. When the sound of her footfalls dissipated, he turned his attention back to Hinata.

"Neji, I-I think we should s-stop. Not that I am n-n-not enjoying this..." she paused, blushing and breaking away from his gaze.

The smile he gave her compensated for the embarrassment she felt.

"B-But as father did go to s-so much trouble, I think we should respect his w-wishes and...w-wait"

He nodded. "Of course, Hinata-sama. I wasn't thinking of going beyond this point. I respect your heart and also want to take the time know it more. May I have one more kiss, though?" It was officially 5:01 in the morning by the clock on the nightstand but he didn't care.

She nodded and their lips met again, though his tongue did not penetrate her this time. When they parted, he backed away from her quickly.

"I am sure Hiashi-sama will be expecting us both and will want full explanation of why I am in your room at indecent hours and why, when we both appeared to hate the idea, are suddenly making out against a wall" he said in his usual stiff manner. She laughed at his completely stoic expression while saying it.

"I t-think he'll be happier than we give him credit for"

* * *

Hinata had been correct. For the first time in years, Hiashi could not suppress his grin at the young couple standing before him. After Neji had finished his explanation and Hinata had added her side of the story, he had even chuckled.

"Love among Hyuugas always brings out interesting things" he said, smiling lightly and recalling his own engagement. "I was worried that I should postpone the announcement this morning but as it is, I am very happy to see that I was not wrong in forging ahead. However, now that this is officially official, after earlier this morning...

He noted his daughter's red cheeks and his nephew's unwillingness to meet his eyes. Hanabi had given him full account, much to his concealed delight.

"The traditional Hyuuga engagement rules will be put into place. You will have a third party with you at all times in private, though it's not necessary in public. I know you both would respect my wishes but for reputation's sake it's best."

"Is the traditional engagement period of a year going to be put into place as well, Hiashi-sama?" inquired Neji. _Could he wait that long to call her his wife? Yes, she was worth it...  
_

"This is the one tradition that will not hold. Since the heiress' birthday comes before that, the council and I have decided to give her wedding day as a birthday present, so to speak. Thus, it will be sometime in late December rather than a year from today's date, July 16th. The actual date will be decided sometime later on this week. As for the rest of the traditional rules, you will be expected to follow each of them to the letter. You both certainly remember them, don't you?"

They nodded in unison.

"Well then, both of you are released from your duties for the rest of the day. I'm sure you will be receiving congratulations from the village for the most of the day. I posted the public notice myself earlier this morning so the whole village should be teeming with the news, especially in the gossip circles. I'd say several of the highest ranking gossips didn't even see this one coming" he winked as he said it, much to the shock of both Hinata and Neji.

The lovebirds were dismissed. As they exited, Neji's thoughts caught up. _Was he ready? Was he ready for everyone to see that he was in love with someone? That she had taken over his heart? Was he ready to be seen as vulnerable when his whole life he had relished his stoic facade that brought fear and respect into the hearts of so many?_

These questions plagued him as they separated to prepare for the day. He was still thinking over it all when she-his fiancee and future wife-sauntered up to him at the main entrance to the compound.

His mind blanked as she smiled at him. She had a lovely cherry red kimono on with lips to match, much bolder than her usual choice of color. His heart raced.

"N-Neji-kun?" she inquired shyly, offering her hand. _How long he had dreamed of hearing her say that..._

As he interlaced her fingers with his own and drew her hand to his lips according to custom, he suddenly knew the answer: _it didn't matter._

And as they left the grounds, they both exhaled in preparation for the comments and surprised antics of several of their friends and the village itself.

As long as they were together, they were ready for anything.

* * *

Too sappy? I thought about ending it here but I don't think that's very good closure so I will probably continue another chapter or so. R & R is super appreciated! I am behind on ALL my stories and prepared to be gutted as a consequence. Is this what you guys expected? Do you expect more from my writing? Is this how you wanted the story to go? And as for Hiashi being so old...erm...I'm just terrible at math and we'll leave it at that. ;)

-Pi-chan!


End file.
